Heritage Archives - July 2015

Quarterly

Volume 1 | Issues 2 | July 2015

Special focus in this Issue

Forgotten Heritage

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In this Issue

Heritage Archives

Havelis of the ‘other’ walled city – Lahore

By Faizan Abbas

…2

Forgotten Heritage of Sirpur, Chhattisgarh

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Volume 1 | Issue 2 | JULY 2015

Chief Editor

Monidipa Dey

Co-Editor

Zehra Chhapiwala

Youth for Heritage Foundation Governing Council

By Aditya Nair

Editorial

…1

The Forgotten Havelis of Vaso in Gujarat

…5

President

Vikramjit Singh Rooprai

A walk through the South Ex gullies

… 11

Durbars & Walks

Tauseef Ahmed

Ancient monuments in Haryana

… 14

History Research

Dr. Madhu Singh

Jahangir’s Dagger and Jewels

… 20

Financial Affairs

Gurpreet Virk

Dr. Yashodar Mathpal: The Lone Crusader

… 25

Publications

Monidipa Dey

Historic Personality - Mastani

… 29

Featured Photographers

… 33

Public Relations

Sarika Virk

Best discussion from Delhi Heritage Photography Club

… 39

Heritage Awareness

Nilesh Korgaokar

Humzanama

... 41

Heritage News

… 43

Book Review – Jaya

… 44

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EDITORIAL

Why Forgotten Heritage?

India, as we all know, is a country rich in heritage, both cultural and built. In fact, so rich, that it’s almost bursting at its seams, with various ancient monuments, archaeological sites, and remains. Everywhere we travel, we find there are ancient crumbling houses, ruinous forts, old palaces, beautifully landscaped gardens, religious monuments, and various other forms of historical edifices that were built many centuries back. It is both a curse and a blessing, to have such a glorious past, resplendent with beautiful built and cultural heritage. So much wealth indeed sometimes turns out to be a cross too heavy to bear, and this is quite evident in modern India. Currently heritage conservation in India is facing monumental challenges, mostly in the form of neglect and a complete lack of awareness. This was also apparent in a 2013 audit report of the CAG India, on the ‘Preservation and Conservation of Monuments and Antiquities.’ The report presents a rather disheartening picture, where we find in India, while expressions of its continual civilisation remain clearly visible, the cultural aspects are undergoing a slow decay and probable death.

While focus is being made on a ‘successful conservation’ of the Humayun's Maqbara (again debatable, on whether the ‘authenticity’ and ‘integrity’ of the structure was maintained during conservation), many of our not-so-famous heritage monuments continue facing abject apathy and neglect, or in many cases are being wrongly conserved, which is more dangerous, as it changes the contextual history of that particular monument. The Archaeological Survey of India or ASI, failed to complete its work on various conservation and excavation projects, mainly due to lack of financial resources. To add to the woes, there have been rising instances of antiquity theft aimed at smuggling these priceless objects to foreign lands and offshore buyers, while our primary museums remain in-adept at handling the stored art objects, mainly due to lack of resources necessary for proper maintenance, display, and security.

So who do we blame for the slow decay and death of our built heritage? The ASI, which is already facing a massive shortage of funds and human resources? Or do we blame ourselves, for our lack of awareness and almost zero commitment towards saving our own built heritage and culture? Do we think twice before littering the heritage monuments, or worse, scratching our names on their walls? Isn’t it time we introspect and share some responsibilities for the safekeeping of our own past? While the ASI and the various state bodies associated with conservation, must focus on the ‘right way’ of conserving monuments (very clearly outlined in the National policy for Conservation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains, ASI 2014), we citizens must aim towards creating greater awareness for protecting our built heritage.

This issue aims at creating awareness and brings to limelight some such forgotten and neglected sections of built heritage in our country.

Monidipa Dey

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LAHORE Havelis of the ‘other’ walled city - a forgotten heritage Lahore, in many ways, is quite similar to Delhi. Both their origins can be traced back to the mythological eras (Lahore is supposed to be founded by Rama’s son Lav while Delhi is often associated with the legendary city of Indraprastha –abode of the Pandavas), both have seen various dynasties of divergent origin (early Hindu rulers, Sultanates, Mughals and Sikhs), and both can still boast of many historical monuments, albeit not always in the best of conditions. Among various historical buildings, Lahore has a significant number of Havelis – residential buildings of the “who’s who” of a bygone era. These Havelis are mainly from the Mughal and Sikh time periods, though the ones which survive today are mainly from the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In this article, I have described a few surviving Havelis of Lahore.

HAVELI OF KANWAR NAUNEHAL SINGH (NAU NIHAL SINGH) Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh, the young prince who died while coming back from his father’s cremation, hence could never become the ruler, was the elder son of Maharaja Kharak Singh and grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Sher-e-Punjab). He died in 1840 at the age of 19, under mysterious circumstances and the kingdom passed on to Sher Singh, the step brother of Kharak Singh. However, he did construct a Haveli, which possibly was the most beautiful Haveli during its time.

The Nau Nihal Haveli is situated near Mori gate of old Lahore. It is spacious with huge courtyards, large staircases and an underground basement. This four storied haveli has some wonderful artwork on its ceilings. The top floor of this building has a Sheesh Mahal (Glasswork Palace), with ventilators to keep it cool, which doubled as means to view the entire city. During British rule, this building was used as residence of the Army officials. After partition, this Haveli remained locked for several years. Subsequently, the government used this haveli to start the Govt. Victoria Girls High School.

Left: (Plate 1) Façade Haveli of Kanwar Naunehal Singh;

Right: (Plate 2) courtyard of the Haveli

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HAVELI FAQEER KHANA (FAKIR KHANA) Plate 3: a room inside the Haveli Faqeer Khana

Haveli Faqeer Khana is situated inside Bhaati Gate, Lahore. In 1800, the Faqeer Family was very close to Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Faqeer Noorud-Din was a Minister in the Maharaja’s cabinet and was also the Royal Physician of Raja Ranjeet Singh, thus yielding a great deal of power and prestige both during the Raja’s time, as well as during British rule.

Consequently, over a long period of time, the family acquired many precious gifts from both Ranjeet Singh, as well as the British. With these acquisitions, the family later formed a museum, which is maintained within their historic Haveli and is known as the Faqeer Khana Museum. It has a huge collection of arms, ammunitions, coins, jewellery, calligraphy, statues, stones and crockery of Mughal and Sikh times. One portion of this Haveli is still occupied by the Faqeer family.

HAVELI RAJA DEENA NAATH (DINA NATH) Raja Deena Nath constructed a Haveli inside Delhi Gate near Chitta Darwaza (White Gate). The main entrance of this Haveli is inside Koocha Deena Nath, a locality originally named after him (currently known as Phullan Wali Gali). Raja Deena Nath was a Kashmiri Pandit who came to Lahore and joined Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s army on the recommendation of Deewan Ganga Raam, the then army officer of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Soon he rose in the ranks, and was given the title of “Deewan”. Later, the British awarded him the title of “Kallah Noor” (Rising Light) due to his outstanding abilities, and made him a Raja.

Plate 4: Haveli Raja Deena Naath (Dina Nath)

Raja Deena Naath constructed several other buildings in Lahore including two other Havelies in the same area, a water well and a temple adjacent to Kotwali. The dome shaped building of his water well still exists at Wazeer Khan Chowk. Kaneha Laal Kapoor narrates in his book that a marvelous Haveli exists in the north of Wazeer Khan Chowk which has “Raja Deena Naath, Kallah Noor (Rising Light)” on the top of the main entrance.

Possibly, this was one of the two other havelis.

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HAVELI RAJA BEJNAATH (BAIJ NATH) Plate 5: Haveli Raja Bejnaath

This Haveli, located near the Haveli Raja Deena Naath was constructed by Deewan Bejnaath, son of Pandit Kishan Daas. Dewan Bejnath, like Raja Deena Nath, was also a Kashmiri Pandit and also joined Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s army based on recommendations of Deewan Ganga Raam (Army officer of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh). Ranjeet Singh handed him the charge of his army finances. During the British rule, Bejnaath was Extra Assistant Commissioner of Lahore. His Haveli shows the Sikh architectural style. Later this Haveli became a “Janj Ghar (Marriage Hall)” for Hindu marriages, and also a shared accommodation for around 50 families after partition. Later, this Haveli was sold off to the new resident families of the Haveli, and now no longer belongs to Deewan Bejnath’s family.

HAVELI JAMEDAAR KHUSHHAL SINGH (KUSHAL SINGH) This Haveli was constructed by Jamedaar Khushal Singh (d.

1844) who was one of the prominent parliamentarians of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. He started his career as a humble gate keeper of the Maharaja, but gained an important position in Maharaja’s court by virtue of his devotion to the Maharaja. As a part of his royal duties, he used to confiscate homes of the poor people and demolish them.

Subsequently he used these lands to construct this marvellous Haveli. On entering the Haveli through its main gate (Masti Gate), one encounters a huge courtyard and a series of beautiful buildings on the southern side. The haveli also had a basement and a court. The other gate opens into Choona Mandi, where this haveli, along with the Havelis of Raja Dheyan Singh, and Teja Singh form a triangle. These three Havelies still exist, but their original grandeur is completely lost. After the death of Jamedaar Khushal Singh, many changes were brought about in this Haveli, and currently this Haveli houses the Govt. Fatima Jinnah College, which is the only college for women in old Lahore. (Plate 6: Haveli Jamedaar KhushHal Singh)

- Faizan Abbas The writer, also known as "Lahore ka Khojji," has been running a foundation named "Lahore Shanasi Foundation" for last 4 years. He is a historiographer and historian by hobby, and his articles are regularly published in newspapers, journals and digests. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of "Majla Lahore Shanasi" and "Nawa-e-Manzil," published from Lahore.

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GUJARAT Wonder in Wood: The Forgotten Havelis of Vaso in Gujarat It was a sultry Thursday evening, typical of Ahmedabad in June. Sipping coffee with my friend, we mulled over the wealth of Gujarat’s built heritage. Architecturally, the state has an amazing variety to offer; from an underground palace around a step well at Mehemdavad, to the exquisite lattice windows of the Sarkhej Roza; from the Adalaj Step Well to the wonderous Sun temple at Modhera … the list goes on and on and one is spoilt for choice. Confused, we decided to consult the all-knowing universal friend, “Google.” After much argument, we settled on exploring the heritage village, Vaso in Kheda district.

The reason we chose this unheard of town was for its exquisite wooden havelis. Prior to 4th BCE, most construction activities in India were done using wood. Though there are no surviving proofs of those ancient wooden houses from the times of the Atharvaveda, the havelis of Gujarat represent this ancient tradition of wooden architecture.

Plate 1: One of the intricately carved pillars of the haveli

So, one fine Sunday, we landed in Vaso. As we enquired on the places to see, the locals directed us to the exquisite Vithal bhai Haveli, built in 19th century A.D. Once we stepped in, a mammoth three-storied structure, with some of the most delicate wooden carvings we have seen to date, greeted us.

The traditional architectural features typical to havelis of Gujarat, such as parsâl, osari (veranda), and ordo (living or bedroom), could all be seen in resplendent splendour. A spacious chowk (central courtyard) is seen closer to the kitchen—ideal for mini-congregations. Interestingly, the haveli possessed a tanka (cistern) for rain-water harvesting below the chowk.

The tanka concept of harvesting rainwater water in Gujarat is said to have been brought from ancient Iran by the Zoroastrians (Parsis). These tanks are usually large enough to store sufficient drinking water for a family for six to eight months, its average capacity being around 25,000 litres.

Plate 2: (Left) The central Courtyard as soon as you enter the Haveli, with the Cistern to store rainwater on the right side corner. You could find a pulley hung from the first floor for drawing water from the cistern!

Plate 3: (Right) Chandelier base, reflecting and refracting glimmer like imaginary crystals

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Architectural flexibility has allowed living space to turn into a kacheri. There was also an exquisitely carved hinchko (swinging cot). With the doors open, the haveli overlooks the neighbourhood—leaving spaces blended in a state of continuous flux and diffusing the boundaries between the inside and the outside. My guess is that the spaces around the chowk are designed to be fluid, for impromptu meetings and other business needs.

Every section of this haveli is a sculptural wonder, with facades, balconies and courtyards, embellished with motifs of elephant heads, vyala figures and dancers, interspersed with images of kinnaras, apsaras, mythical animals, and geometric floral patterns.

The Vaso Havelis have both figurative imageries of Hindu Gods like Ganesha, Krishna, and others, as well as several geometric patterns that show a considerable Islamic influence.

Plate 4: (Left) An exquisite Vyala, a mythical creature used as a common motif in Indian art. These motifs are found on the entrance walls with the belief that the graceful mythical lion would protect and guard the building Plate 5: (Right) wooden carvings on a bracket

Plate 6: (Left) Some of the doors and windows had these kinds of Gods and Goddesses portrayed on small niche. Here, is a rare depiction of Ganesha's feminine form, Ganeshayini!

As is the custom with architectural traditions of the country, almost all exposed surfaces of the haveli were painted. Apart from wooden sculptures, even painting was looked at as an integral part of the building planning. Painting served the dual function of preserving and embellishing wooden surfaces. The outside walls not only give a promise of the treasures within, but match them in aesthetics, making the haveli a visual treat that lingers on.

Plate 7: (Below) A hunting scene depicted on the walls of a house in the neighbourhood. The owners of these houses claim that these paintings have been on since long over three generations!

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Surprisingly, despite the strictures passed against the portrayal of yakshas, nagas, gandharvas, horses, elephants, lions, and so on in the Samarangana Sutradhara, these motifs find a place in the carvings of the haveli. Samarangana Sutradhara is an encyclopedic work on classical Indian architecture (Vastu Shastra) written by the Paramara King Bhoja of Dhar (1000–1055 AD). Subjects like town planning, house architecture, temple architecture and sculptural arts, the canons of painting, and the yantras are dealt with in this voluminous work.

Plate 8: (Left) A sculpture carved on one of the pillars outside the haveli. Notice the bell-bottom pant, depicting the European influence as well!

Plate 9: (Right) An exquisite wooden carving on the outsides of the Vithalbhai Haveli, a three storied Haveli, built in 19th century A.D. Notice the dressing style that reflects the influence from the world around.

The next haveli was of Mahendra bhai Desai, which was equally fascinating. Dozens of slender columns, carved brackets, kinnaras, musicians, flying apsaras, birds, mythical beasts and many more, all carved in great detail and painted in red, yellow, orange and green, adorned the four corners of the chowk much similar to the adjacent Vithalbhai Haveli.

Plate 10: (Left) Carving of a guard on one of the pillars of one of the simpler antique houses nearby Plate 11: (Right) One of the multitude of paintings that is seen all around on the walls of the houses nearby in the town. Presume the picture depicts the King setting out for hunting!

The history of these havelis is closely related to the story of Vaso itself. The Maratha rulers of Gujarat in the mid-19th century delegated tax collection to the Patel family of Vaso, and this family divided into two branches, with the surnames of Amin and Desai, and built some of these glorious wooden mansions in the early 1870s. These indigenous havelis have evolved to be appropriate to the needs of the joint family

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system and to the domestic routine of middle and upper class urban communities in Gujarat. Adjacent to the most popular and grand havelis, now under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), there are few other mansions along the street, but with a slightly subdued opulence!

We gazed blissfully at the workmanship, admiring the skill and passion of those unknown artisans who have slipped through the history of this majestic state, but whose works still speak a thousand silent words. One question kept ringing in our minds. With only a few isolated pockets from the nearby Daman or distant Malabar serving as source for good timber,was it love of a resilient and sensuous material, or was it availability of expertise in woodcraft that prompted the building of these Havelis? Or was it both?

Plate 12: A lovely pattern resembling elephant trunk with floral patterns!

We reluctantly stepped out of the haveli and took a stroll along the streets to look for more havelis. Of course there were others but none could match the grandeur of these. The wooden havelis of Vado are a piece de resistance that many are unaware of, including the tourism department of the government of Gujarat. But if you are visiting this state do not miss these hidden jewels!

How to reach: Vaso is located 13 kms towards south from the district headquarters Kheda in Nadiad Taluka, Gujarat, India. It is 75 kms from the nearest Railway Station and Airport in Ahmedabad. Private and state run buses are also available frequently.

- Ramjee Nagarajan The writer is an education and dev. professional at Centre for Environment Education, and is currently associated with the Protected Area Interpretation and Ecotourism programmes. He has visited most parts of the country to explore both the built and natural heritage of India. He started his career as a school teacher & strongly believes that happiness increases by sharing the learning. These days he finds happiness in exploring and documenting lesser known places in Gujarat, and sharing them through a Facebook group, Grandeurs of Gujarat!

EVENT REVIEW Historic Poets of Delhi

06 June 2015, India Habitat Centre

This extremely interesting session, convened under the aegis of Youth for Heritage Foundation, had Mr. Yaseen Anwar as its speaker. He is the founder of Kaafiya, Poets Corner and Delhi Poetry Festival. Awarded the title of ‘Young Poet’ and named one among 100 Thousand Poets for Change, he is working towards revival of Hindi and Urdu poetry in the country.

The speaker provided many insights into the history of Delhi, and its poets like Jamali, Bedil, Nizamuddin Auliya, Amir Khusrow and Ghalib. The gap of knowledge of the Persian language by commoners was filled by writing in both braj and khadi boli taking poetry to masses. Amir Khusrow made major contributions in the genre of music with the introduction of ‘qawwali’ being the most important one and additions on tabla and sitar too. Mr. Anwar also shared some amusing anecdotes like the childish behaviour of Ghalib, and his fetish for mangoes.

The session helped us not only to appreciate poetry of the bygone years, but recreated the charm of Delhi of yore, enthusing us to preserve the remnants of glorious years. I am now looking forward to more such enlightening sessions.

Sarika Pahwa Virk (The writer is a Senior Business Developer for a MNC by profession and a passionate heritage lover)

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SPOTLIGHT Forgotten heritage of Sirpur, Chhattisgarh Sirpur is a historical town in Mahasamund district in the State of Chhattisgarh, 78 km away from Raipur on National Highway (NH) 6 on way to Sambalpur, and 35 Km from Mahasamund city on the bank of river Mahanadi. It is well known for its archaeological monuments and is home to dozens of ruined Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries, all dotted around the village and surrounding countryside. Sirpur is derived from the ancient name Sripura, which was once a centre of power of the South Kosalas. This city was once the capital of Sarbhapuriya and Somvanshi King of dakshin (South) Kosala State. It’s believed that a devastating earthquake buried the ancient town in mud and debris, in the 12th century. The Laxman temple Anand Prabhu, Kuti Vihar, Swastik, Vihar, and other historic monuments are the main attractions here. Mentions of ancient Sirpur were found in copper inscriptions of Sarabhapurya rulers, Raja Pravar Raj and Mahasudeo Raj, which showed that they had donated the land to Sirpur. Sirpur remained a well-known centre of study and art, due to political stability and religious tolerance during the 57 years long reign of Mahashiva Gupta Balarjun. The river Mahanadi and its natural environment have further contributed to the prosperity and beauty of this place.

The archaeological remains in and around Sirpur consists of both Hindu and Buddhist monuments, in the form of temples and monasteries. Among them, the most well preserved temple is the “Laxman Temple” in Sirpur, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It faces the east, stands on a 6ft height prominent platform, and is believed to have been constructed by Vatasa, daughter of Maukhari King Suryaverma of Magadha and the widowed mother of Panduvamsi King Mahashiva Gupta Balarjun (A.D. 595~655), in memory of her husband Harshgupta. Hiuen Tsang, Chinese Buddhist pilgrim had also visited the Laxman Temple in the 7th century, and has mentioned this region in his travelogues.

Plate 1: the shikhara of the Laxman temple. It shows exquisite workmanship in terracotta

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Laxman temple at Sirpur is an important landmark in the terracotta art of Chhattisgarh. It is one of the finest brick temples in India and still remains in a good condition. This brick shrine represents the beginnings of temple architecture in ancient Kosala. At upper part of the entrance there is a sheshnaag serving as an umbrella to Lord Shiva. There are also depictions of Vishnu’s incarnations, KrishnaLeela, ornate symbolic work, and erotic carvings. The plan of the temple consists of a Mandap (assembly hall), Antarala (vestibule) and Garbha Griha (the inner sanctum). The garbha griha is approached through an ornate stone doorway, adorned with a reclining image of Shehasayi Vishnu on the lalatbimba. Both the jambs are embellished with panchasakha motifs such as the patrasakha, ratnasakh, mithunsakha, again patrasakha and another one bearing depiction of various incarnations of Vishnu like Matsya, Varaha, Nrisimha, Vamana, Rama etc. besides the mythological narration pertains to Krishnalila, Kesivadh, Kansavadh, Hayagriva etc.

Plate 2: (Right) amorous couple carved on the temple wall

Plate 3: (Left) temple wall carvings; Plate 4: (Right) entrance doorway to the inner sanctum

This beautiful historical site remain undiscovered until 1872, when Lord Cunningham, the then Director General of Archeological Survey, visited Sirpur and discovered the Laxman Temple.

How to reach and the best time to visit: The best time to visit Sirpur/ Laxman temple is from October to February. Buses from Raipur will drop you at the Sirpur Mudh (Rs. 40, Two hours), a junction 17 km from Sirpur, where you’ll have to wait for a bus or shared jeep (Rs 10, 25minutes) to the village. For the Laxman temple, turn right past the snack stalls and keep walking for 1 km. It’s on the left, past the petrol pump. It Costs 5 INR for Indians and 100 INR for foreigners to visit the place.

- Aditya Nair The writer loves visiting and exploring places that are remote and rarely visited by regular tourists. For him such places are not a onetime visit, and these rarely visited sites have calmness in their surroundings that makes him happy and at peace. Clicking photographs of such places is not only a passion, and he loves to relive each moment through them. He has just started exploring India, and feels he has miles and miles to go.

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TRAVEL Delhi travel diaries: “A walk through the South Ex gullies, exploring parts of our forgotten heritage” South Extension, the perennially crowded maze of glass and cement mega-structures is also strewn with a few Lodi-era (AD 1451-1526) mausoleums, namely - Kale Khan ka Gumbad ("Tomb of the Black Khan"), Bhure Khan ka Gumbad ("Tomb of the Fair Khan"), Bade Khan ka Gumbad ("Tomb of the Big Khan"), Chote Khan ka Gumbad ("Tomb of the Small Khan") and Darya Khan Lohani's tomb. Each of these tombs stand inside a small landscaped grassy lawn of its own and are in close vicinity to each other (the only exception being Bhure Khan’s tomb which is wedged between towering buildings). Their proximity seem to suggest that they were originally intended as a cluster within a larger garden complex but have got separated from each other due to the pressures of urbanization and commercialization of land space.

Interestingly, the history of only two of these – Kale Khan ka Gumbad and Darya Khan Lohani's tomb – are known. While the former, dated to AD 1481, is said to belong to Mubarak Khan Lohani, an important noble in the regal court of Sultan Bahlol Lodi (ruled AD 1451-89), the latter is that of his son who officiated as the "Mir Adil" (Chief Justice) in the courts of Sultan Bahlol Lodi and his successor Sultan Sikandar Lodi (ruled AD 1489-1517). The names “Kale Khan”, “Bhure Khan”, “Bade Khan” and “Chote Khan” seem to be more of nicknames than actual names and historians opine that these were probably prompted by the complexion or physique of the protagonists.

Plate 1: Kale khan ka gumbad

Plate 2: Bhure Khan’s tomb

The first four (Kale Khan, Bhure Khan, Bade Khan and Chote Khan) are architecturally similar with square floor plans, similar ornamentation, “externally double/triple-storied” (through effective use of windows/narrow alcoves at different levels) and "kanguras" (battlement-like ornamentation) to decorate the roofs and the bases of the domes. Kale Khan’s tomb, the oldest amongst the lot, majorly damaged and subsequently plastered, retains little of its original external artistic features. However, it is significant as it was one of the first tombs of the Lodhi era and established the “typical” Lodhi era designs. Bhure Khan's tomb retains signs of its erstwhile glory in the form of narrow tapering fluted pillars adjoining the entrances.

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Plate 3: tombs of Bade Khan and Chote Khan

The splendid tombs of Bade Khan and Chote Khan which exist next to each other additionally boast of hexagonal chattris (umbrella domes mounted on slender pillars) on the four corners of the roof and tapering turrets projecting along the tops of the rectangular frame of the arched entrances. An interesting feature of Bade Khan's tomb is the ornamental semi-octagonal towers / pillars which are built within the walls at its corners. Chote Khan's tomb, exquisite in its cream-pink colour, profuse and intricate incised plasterwork and bands of calligraphy inscriptions is probably the most beautiful amongst the four. Where the artists and architects failed to append further magnificence, nature did its part – hordes of pigeons flutter around the tombs while beautiful parrots and sleepy owls grace the rooftops and the chattris.

The fifth, Darya Khan Lohani’s tomb is one of the most unusual mausoleum amidst the numerous tonbs / mazars / mausoleums of Delhi. Among the ones mentioned in this article, it is the most far-flung and presently functions as a traffic roundabout (rechristened Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk) in Kidwai Nagar. Till a few years back, it was the site of the local Dussehra celebrations.

The tomb proper is raised from the surroundings by an immense square platform which has a lush green lawn and remains of circular bastions along the corners. On this pedestal and exactly symmetrical with it is a smaller pedestal accessible via staircases on three sides and crowned on each corner by a domed twelvepillared stone chattri (a “barakhamba”).

Plate 4: tomb of Darya Khan Lohani

Plate 5: tomb of Darya Khan Lohani

In the center of this second pedestal lies a moderately high circular edifice (on which the locals boys sprinkle grains and sweets for the birds and insects) and in the centre lies the excessively simple uncovered marble grave of Darya Khan. Only one of the four square chattris survives in its entirety while the rest are in different stages of ruin but one can still see the floral medallions and handsome bands of calligraphy in the inner surfaces of the domes.

In fact, all the tombs in the cluster, display splendid interior artwork composed of squinched arches, bands of calligraphy inscriptions and painted star patterns adorning the roofs. The small landscaped grassy plots surrounding each of the structures are thankfully well-maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – towering trees flank the circumferences, green grass carpets the lawns and flowering shrubbery demarcates the walkways. Young children from nearby slums and construction sites run around playing games of their own making while the tombs themselves function as majestic bedrooms for a laborers and

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gardeners and walkers stroll around the walkways at almost all times of the day. Overall, it is an altogether different thrill to spot these relics of the past hiding around the swanky new buildings and the glittering glass monstrosities that have come to define Delhi's landscape in the past few years. Thankfully, somewhere in the idea of a cosmopolitan Delhi, history still resides.

How to reach: Location: South Ex. I nearest bus stop: South Ex. I Nearest Metro station: AIIMS How to reach: From the Ring Road, take the street beginning immediately besides Nalli Sarees or the Louis Philippe store and you will come across Kale Khan ka Gumbad after walking less than half a kilometer.

Afterwards walk straight with your back to Ring Road and ask directions for Bade/Chote Khan ka Gumbad and the locals will direct you. Darya Khan Lohani's tomb is located in the middle of a roundabout known as Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk near Kidwai Nagar market/post office.

A more detailed article can be found in Pixelated Memories – South Ex. Trail (http://pixelsmemories.blogspot.in/) - Sahil Ahuja Sahil Ahuja is interested in Indian history, architectural heritage, travel and photography. Presently, he is based in Bangalore as an SAP Security Consultant at IBM GBS.

EVENT REVIEW History of Delhi, through its food

02 May 2015, India Habitat Centre

Little was I aware that a plethora of myths and knowledge would unfold in this unique talk by the wellknown Professor of International Relations and an equally great food historian, Dr. Pushpesh Pant, organised by the Youth for Heritage Foundation spearheaded by the loveable host Vikramjit Singh Rooprai.

The biggest revelation for me was that the MUGHLAI FOOD OF DELHI IS A MYTH and not a reality! Some of the other interesting facts revealed during the session are as follows:   



Delhi food has more influence of Sultanate, Avadh, Rampur, and Deccan; simply because the Mughals hardly lived in Delhi!

Biryani and Kebabs were there even during the Mahabharata times.

Our fav Samosa with potato fillings is NOT of Indian Origin. This came to India from Central Asia and has origin in Persia. There it is called ‘Sanbosag” and is available even today, filled with minced meat, chopped onion, garlic and crushed almonds. So, Samosa was never vegan!

Khichdi is no sick man’s food and rather a delicacy from Gujarat and Bengal. Mughals patronised Khichdi and first served this delicacy to celebrate Jehangir’s victory over Gujarat.

Debashis Deb (The writer is an Engineer, avid traveler, reader, writer, poetry, photographer & heritage lover).

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HIDDEN MONUMENTS Ancient monuments in Haryana Narnaul, Farukhnagar and Hisar Carrying a message from ancient times, historical monuments bear a silent testimony to age-old lifestyle and customs. While there is increasing global consciousness regarding historical structures as universal inheritance, it is essential to create common awareness and a sense of responsibility to protect while retaining authenticity of these structures. It is therefore important that principles are framed and guidelines created for correct conservation of ancient monuments, wherein structures should be kept as they were originally. In India, the main bodies associated with heritage monument conservation are the ASI, State Archaeological Departments, and INTACH. The first move towards protecting historical monuments in India was taken by ASI in 1861, by framing the conservation legislation. In free India, the constitution makes its mandatory to value and preserve the rich heritage of our country by placing it under the ambit of fundamental duties for all citizens. Currently, archaeological activities in India are regulated by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation act) Act 2010 (AMASR), and the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act (1972).

The term “ancient monuments,” as per the The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act or the AMASR Act (1958) can be defined as: “Any structure, erection or monument, or any tumulus or place of interment, or any cave, rocksculpture, inscription or monolith which is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than 100 years and includes— 1. Remains of an ancient monument, 2. Site of an ancient monument, 3. Such portion of land adjoining the site of an ancient monument as may be required for fencing or covering in or otherwise preserving such monument, and 4. The means of access to, and convenient inspection of, an ancient monument.”

The Articles 3.02 and 3.03 under ‘Conservation Principles’ as listed by the ASI states: “A monument or an archaeological site should be subjected to minimum- whilst only necessaryinterventions…

All efforts to conserve a monument should be made to retain its value and significance, its authenticity and integrity…and to sustain a truthful representation of its original/ historic appearance.”

In this article, I have described some forgotten ancient monuments of Narnaul, Farukhnagar and Hisar – small towns in Haryana, which are rich in heritage but are in urgent need of serious conservation.

NARNAUL Narnaul goes long back into history, where the town was initially controlled by the Jogis. Later the Rajput Rathores took over, until Islamic rulers came to power. The Sur-Afghans were the most prominent here and Sher Shah’s grandfather, Ibrahim Khan, was the first to arrive as a jagirdar. Narnaul has witnessed some violent wars and riots under the Satnami sadhus, Aurangzeb, Nawab of Narnaul, and later during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

Narnaul has three ASI ‘protected’ monuments, the tomb of Ibrahim Shah Khan, Jal Mahal and the maqbara of Shah Quli Khan. Other well-known monuments, mostly under protection of Haryana state government, include Tripolia Gateway, Chatta Rai Bal Mukund Das ki haveli, Shah Vilayat’s Tomb, Chor Gumbad, Birbal ka Chhatta and Mirza Ali Jan’s Baoli. Most monuments lack proper approach, and are surrounded by residential buildings and agricultural fields, thus discouraging tourists. Furthermore, majority of the

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monuments are ruinous, with little, poor, or no conservation work going on. There are no promotional activities by the Haryana State Government to showcase this historically important township.

Plates 1 and 2: Ibrahim Khan’s tomb is by far the best preserved monument in Narnaul, but its location does nothing to enhance the beauty of this structure, as is evident in the pictures, with ugly wire meshing and closely hemmed-in houses destroying the beauty of this 16th century structure. The tomb was constructed over the grave of Ibrahim Khan Sur (died 1518 AD) under instructions from his grandson Sher Shah Suri (1540-45 AD).

Plate 3: Beautiful wall carvings now in ruins~ Pir Turkman’s tomb, a 12th century construction, shows various forms of architecture that range from Tughlaq period to colonial times. Much of the original structure has been changed during later period constructions. The tomb and mosque were constructed in Tughlaq era; the dome, eastern colonnades, some parts of the enclosure was constructed in 1357 AD by Alam Khan Mewati; while the building walls show modern frescoes. The portico was constructed during the colonial era, while remaining structures are from the Mughal period.

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Plate 4 (Left): A passage inside the Pir Turkman’s tomb complex in ruinous state Plate 5 (Right): Mirza Ali Jan’s Baoli was built by the Nawab of Narnaul during Akbar’s reign. The baoli has a huge arched gateway carrying the 'Takht' and pillared 'Chhatri' on top. The arched gate opens to a three-storied 'baoli' that lies empty and in ruins.

Plate 6 (Left): The ruined Mirza Ali Jan’s baoli, shows complete lack of conservation Plate 7 (Right): Chor gumbad, a Feroz Shah Tughlaq era structure, now plastered over, thus changing its original façade

Plate 8 (Left): Jal mahal (built in 1591) ~ the water body around it has dried up, but the structure remains intact with signs of conservation.

This is under the ASI, hence better maintained.

Plate 9 (Right): Rai Bal Mukund Das ki haveli (built during Shahjahan’s reign), which must have once been a beautiful mansion, now lies abandoned and ruined (picture credit: Sarika Pahwa Virk)

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FARUKHNAGAR Farukhnagar is a town under the Gurgaon municipality, sharing its border with Jhajjhar. This township was established by the first Nawab of Farukhnagar, Faujdar Khan, in 1732, under the Mughal rule. Farrukhnagar grew largely due to its flourishing salt trade until the end of 19th century; however, with acquisition of the nearby Sambhar salt planes in Rajasthan, Farrukhnagar was abandoned and soon forgotten by the British rulers. The town still has some Mughal era monuments; most are in dire state of repairs or are being poorly conserved.

Plate 10 (Left): Shethani ki chatri. This once beautiful 19th century building now lies forgotten, in the corner of an agricultural land, with water from a burst sewage pipe flowing near it (when we visited the building, it was difficult to navigate the entrance, due to foul smelling water that flooded the road). Frescoes that once adorned its walls are now almost gone, and the building is crumbling, due to lack of maintenance.

Plate 11 (Right): A doorway inside the Shethani ki chatri with the walls still showing signs of faded frescoes.

Plate 12 (Left): Farukhnahar baoli or Baoli Ghaus Ali Shah~ conservation work by the ASI is being carried out. The structure acquired a modern look, after conservation was started.

Plate 13 (Right): Frescos that once adorned the Farukhnahar baoli walls are now seen only in some parts, rest being painted or plastered over.

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Plate 14: The baoli gateway that was once the entrance to the city, is battered, due to constant movement of high backed trucks that have broken/ damaged parts of it

HISAR Hisar or Hisar-e-Firoza was established in 1354, by Firoz shah Tughlaq. Various archaeological evidences from Bhirrana, Rakhigarhi, have suggested human habitation from pre-Harappa era, making this town historically important. Later, it was a part of the Mauryan Empire, as is evident from the Ashokan pillars found here. Hisar was also an important city for the Chauhan dynasty, until Muhammad Ghori. Firoz Shah Tughlaq built a fort in Hisar with four gates (the Delhi Gate, Mori Gate, the Nagori Gate, and Talaqi Gate), and a palace complex known as the Firoz shah Palace.

Plate 15 (Left): The Agroha mound dates back to the 3rd century BC, and coins, sculptures, seals, copper and iron tools have been discovered from the various excavations (picture credit: Giriraj Shekhawat). The place is reached only after walking a long distance, is isolated, relatively unsafe with small-time miscreants frequenting the place.

Plates 16 & 17 (Below): Large scale renovation is going on in the Lat ki Masjid, within the Feroz Shah Tughlaq palace complex. However, whether the true spirit of conservation is maintained, wherein indiscriminate ‘re-facing’ of the monument is avoided and authenticity and integrity of the structure is maintained, is yet to be seen (pictures credit: Giriraj Shekhawat)

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Plates 18 & 19: Durgah Char Qutab, a 12th century monument has lost its authenticity due to constant changes over the years, is now a whitewashed building, looking like a fairly modern structure (pictures credit: Giriraj Shekhawat) Plate 20: An ‘ancient monument’ lying in derelict conditions in Hansi, Hissar (picture credit: Giriraj Shekhawat)

Haryana, a state rich in history and ‘ancient monuments,’ needs a great deal of change in perspectives, as regards, rightful conservation; and a complete overhauling of its archaeological conservation techniques in order to preserve, maintain, and restore its historical buildings in their authentic form, retaining their ‘integrity’, as are evident from the pictures shown above.

References   

Haryana Tourism, “Explore- hubs”, 2015, available at http://haryanatourism.gov.in/showpage.aspx?contentid=5026#hub ICOMOS, “The Venice charter 1964”, 1965.

“National policy for Conservation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (NPC- AMASR),” ASI, New Delhi, February 2014.

- Monidipa Dey The writer loves photography, reading, exploring our history and heritage, and is passionate about travelling.

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LIFESTYLE Jahangir’s Dagger and Jewels It’s so fine…a dagger “It is so fine that I don't want to be separated from it for an instant. It is more valuable to me than all the expensive gems in the treasury" exclaimed the connoisseur emperor Jahangir as he caressed the handle of the dagger that he received on the first of the month of Mihir, Sep 14, 1619. “Masters Puran and Kalyan, who have no peers or equals in the art of carving, were ordered to make the dagger handles of the size that is presently in the style that has come to be known as Jahangiri” , adds the emperor in Tuzuk-eJahangiri or Jahangirnama. Two days later, he fastened the dagger to his belt and rewarded Master Puran with an elephant, a robe of honor and a gold “kara” for his wrist. Master Kalyan was awarded the title “Ajayibdast (he with a wondrous hand)”, a promotion, a robe of honor and a gem studded bracelet.

Jahangir could very well have been describing the dagger presently at Dar alAthar al-Islamiyyah1, Kuwait.

Dagger with Scabbard Circa 1615-1620 33.3 x 11.7 cm This dagger and scabbard, thought to have been commissioned and designed

by Emperor Jahangir around 1619, is a masterpiece of 1,685 rubies, 271 unpolished diamonds, 62 emeralds, 321 pieces of transparent emerald-green glass, 39 pieces of blue glass, 9 pieces of ivory and 6 layered agates – making a total of 2,393 stones, plus another 26 which are now missing. It is elegantly set with rubies to form patterns of birds and flowers. But what is even more remarkable than the array of precious stones is the artistry of the gold patterns created in India's kundan technique.

Image courtesy of © The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait.

The Mughals, especially Jahangir and Shah Jahan had a penchant for collecting jewelry. Their daggers or scabbards were more like well-crafted pieces of jewelry. At least that is what I felt, when I saw this dagger in the Al-Sabah collection on a wintry January Friday in 2002, after having driven a good 500 kms from Boston to New York. The Met Museum exhibition, called “Treasury of the world – Jeweled Arts of India in the age of the Mughals”, had its name taken from an expression used by Sir Thomas Roe, the English ambassador to the Mughal court, in a letter written on October 30, 1616, to Prince Charles (later King Charles I). He described the emperor Jahangir: "In jewels (which is one of his felicities) he is the treasury of the world."

It is said that the Al-Sabah Collection comprises more than twenty thousand works of Islamic art spanning the seventh to the nineteenth century. Ambitiously assembled since 1975 by Sheikh Nasser Sabah alAhmad al-Sabah, this wonderful collection survived the onslaught of the 1990 Gulf War by virtue of it being transported out of Kuwait in metal trunks to the Iraq Museum in Baghdad by a group of Iraqi archaeologists acting on the orders of their government. Later, most of these items were recovered by the intervention of U.N. Today the Al-Sabah collection has probably the best collection of Mughal jewels in the world.

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http://darmuseum.org.kw/

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Jewel masters Puran and Kalyan went on to create some of the most spectacular pieces of jewelry the world has ever seen. The two daggers, one currently at the met Museum in NewYork and the other at the British Museum carry the same mark of high quality gems cut and set in Kundan style on beautifully chased work of gold. A thumb ring and a ceremonial spoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum share similar features.

Archery Thumb Ring from Jahangir’s period 1620 Gold set with rubies and emeralds, enameled on the inside 3.7 cm x Diameter 3 cm.

“The high quality of this thumb ring strongly suggests that it was a courtly piece. Similar rings are seen in portraits of the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan and their sons in court paintings of about 1620–1630. It is one of a small group of objects using the same technique of setting rubies and emeralds (and in some of the group, minute diamonds) in dense patterns against a ground of chased gold, all dating to about the same period. The thumb ring is enamelled on the inside, as is often the case with Mughal jewellery. Here, however, the motifs and colours of the enamel are strikingly European and this may suggest that the enamelling was done by a European craftsman at the Mughal court, of whom there were a small number at this time” Courtesy: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Dagger and Sheath 1605–1627...at Met Museum acquired through Sotheby’s auction in 1984…Photos…Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

The hilt of the dagger 2 below is constructed with heavy sections of gold over an iron core and its scabbard mounts are of solid gold. All the intricately engraved surfaces are set with carved rubies, emeralds and colored glass finely cut with floral forms.

The blade, forged of watered steel, is 23 cm long and the grip. 12.2 cm One of the first Westerner to describe Jahangir’s collection was Captain William Hawkins, who led the first voyage of English East India Company to India and sailed into the Gujarat port of Surat on 24 August 1608. He had with him 25,000 pieces of gold and a 2http://www.metmuseum.org

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personal letter to the Mughal Emperor Jehangir from King James I seeking trade concessions. In 1609, Hawkins travelled to Agra to negotiate consent from Emperor Jahangir for a factory. Captain Hawkins, who spoke fluent Turkish, stayed till 1611 and got close enough to Jahangir to be called English Khan by him.

Hawkins describes Jahangir’s collection of swords and daggers thus, in a book Hawkins’ Voyages edited by Clements R Markham, published by Hakluyt Society in 1878 (https://ia700400.us.archive.org/2/items/hawkinsvoyagesdu00markrich/hawkinsvoyagesdu00markrich.pdf )

“Of swords of Almaine [German] blades, with the hilts and scabbards set with diverse sorts of rich stones of the richest sort, there are two thousand and two hundred. Of two sorts of poniards (daggers) there be two thousand. Two thousand bejeweled daggers!!! Of brooches for their heads [i.e. the sarpesh], where into their feathers be put, these be very rich, and of them there are two thousand. Of saddles of gold and silver set with stones there are one thousand.”

Hawkins also lists Jehangir’s treasury of un-mounted gems (translated to modern weight measures) in 1611 as Diamonds 37.5 Kilos or 187,500 carats, Pearls 300 Kilos or 1.5 Million Carats, Rubies 50 Kilos or 250,000 carats, emeralds 125 Kilos or 625,000 carats. Stones weighing under 2 ½ carats were not officially included and quality was never sacrificed to numbers. These stones came from around the world; the diamonds from Golconda and later from Bihar; rubies from the present day Myanmar; emeralds from Colombia brought in by the Portuguese and the pearls from the Gulf of Mexico and from the Gulf region of the Arabian Sea.

The British Museum Dagger 1625…Courtesy British Museum Dagger with incised gold sheath and chape set with rubies and emeralds, red velvet sides, notched gold hilt decorated with flowers, cheetah, harpy, and deer in rubies and emeralds on one side and three flowers, lion and deer on the other; quillon in form of two dragons' heads. Gold is worked between jewels in technique typical of court production in the 1620s. Blade possibly modern; http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_g allery.aspx?assetId=22887&objectId=1345038&partId=1

Jehangirnama also describes the Emperor’s love for jewels (in this case, of two exquisite pearls) in an eloquent manner:

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“By the manifestation of the Divine mercy and kindness and the signs of God's favor, an affair took place at this time which is not devoid of strangeness. After the victory over the Rana, my son presented me, in Ajmer, with an exceedingly beautiful and clear ruby, valued at 60,000 rupees. It occurred to me that I ought to bind this ruby on my own arm. I much wanted two rare pearls of good water of one form to be a fit match for this kind of ruby. Muqarrab Khan had procured one grand pearl of the value of 20,000 rupees, and given it to me as a New Year's offering. It occurred to me that if I could procure a pair to it they would make a perfect bracelet. Khurram (Shah Jahan), who from his childhood had had the honor of waiting on my revered father, and remained in attendance on him day and night, represented to me that he had seen a pearl in an old turban (sar-band) of a weight and shape equal to this pearl. They produced the old turban, containing a royal pearl of the same quality, weight, and shape, not differing in weight even by a trifle, so much so that the jewelers were astonished at the matter. It agreed in value, shape, luster, and brilliance; one might say they had been shed from the same mold. Placing the two pearls alongside of the ruby, I bound them on my arm, and placing my head on the ground of supplication and humility, I returned thanks to the Lord that cherished His slave, and made my tongue utter His praise — Who succeeds with hand and tongue?

He who performs the dues of thanks!

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, the famous 17th Century French traveler and jeweler, on November 10 1665, had the rare privilege and honor of inspecting the Emperor Aurangazeb’s own jewels. In his book “Le Six Voyages de J. B. Tavernier” (translated into English on 1676), he describes two pearls, which, in all likelihood are the same ones that Emperor Jehangir had mentioned.

“Two pearls are perfectly round and equal, each weighing 25.25 ratis (22 carats of 88 grains). One pearl had a very lively water and was among the most beautiful pearls that can be seen, but the other pearl had a slightly yellowish tinge.” The description obviously refers to a matching pair of pearls - perfectly spherical and having exactly the same weight, 88 grains with the sole difference in their color. One can see a bazuband in the portrait of Jehangir, presently at the Walters museum in Baltimore that bears a resemblance to the description in Jehangirnama. Is this the same Bazuband that turned up at the Christie’s Auction in 1997 (picture below)?

The single spinel flanked by baroque pearls weighs 79.55 carats and is inscribed “Shah Jahangir bin Akbar Shah, 1010 AH (1601 AD). Sold at Christies Auction 1997.

Notice the bazuband in the portrait of Jehangir, presently at the Walters museum in Baltimore that bears a resemblance to the description in Jehangirnama.

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While we are on the subject of bazuband, I cannot resist sharing this bazuband that was remade by Cartier into a brooch and later was auctioned by Sotheby’s. A Mughal bazuband that bears resemblance to the jewel style of Jehangir and Shah Jahan. Courtesy Sotheby’s

Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador to the court of Jahangir from 1615 to 1618, was astounded by the opulence emperor Jahangir. In his “Journal of the mission to the Mogul Empire” published in 1899 (https://archive.org/stream/embassysirthoma01fostgoog/embassysirthoma01fostgoog_djvu.txt), Sir Roe describes a “weighing ceremony” of Jehangir on his birthdaty Sep 1, 1617, where he describes the emperor as “laden with jewels” with each finger having “two or three rings”. The ceremony seemed to involve weighing the emperor with silver and jewels and the final value came to nine thousand Rupaiya. In the process, the emperor was throwing thin sheets of gold or silver at the bystanders. This was a common practice in those days and the following picture bear testimony to this.

On 31 July 1607 Jahangir, the Mughal emperor of India, ordered his son Prince Khurram to be weighed against gold and silver and other metals as part of the celebration of his 15th birthday.…..Courtesy British Museum Via Wikimedia

The reign of Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan from 1566 to 1658 was the golden period of art, painting and architecture. The art of jewelry also reached its pinnacle during the same period, though it is difficult to explore and appreciate them for several practical reasons. They belong to the rich and famous and these people who often restrict publicity. The gems and jewels also seem to have their own energy and seem to travel across the world. None of the jewels described in this article are in India but in their beauty and craftsmanship, they represent the skill and artistry of the Indian jewelers at different parts of the world.

- Jay Shankar The writer is an engineer, a management Graduate, software Professional, has a global outlook and is very passionate about Indian heritage and India's future.

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MODERN PERSONALITY Dr. Yashodar Mathpal: The Lone Crusader A cave man, a Museum man, or the Tagore of Kumaun?

These are few of the epithets that crossed my mind when I met Dr. Yashodhar Mathpal for the very first time. Few have heard this name, though ideally it should resonate loudly in the corridors of Indian cultural and heritage conservation.

I came to know about him after reading a book on the history of Kumaun. Since we were planning to stay in Bhimtal, I planned to visit the local museum “Geeta Dham” and hoped to meet Dr.Mathpal. On the second day of our Bhimtal trip, we embarked on our journey to “Geeta Dham”. Much to my dismay, the taxi driver did not know of its location. We reached Geeta Dham after enquiring from locals, leaving me to wonder how unknown can some places remain even in their own vicinity.

Plate 1: The museum gate

Dr. Mathpal has established this museum on his property. It houses the material, physical, and cultural remains of the region. It tells the story of Kumaun from the beginning, i.e. from the time when the Himalayas were under the Tethys sea. My son saw fossilised Mollusca, and asked me how come it was found on the Himalayas? I asked him to recall his geography lesson on Himalayas being young fold mountains, and then it all started making sense to him! It is the kind of museum that will inspire kids and adults alike.

Plate 2: The path way with Hero stones- a display of Folk art and flora!

As a precious asset, the museum has Art Gallery, housing over 500 paintings. There is also a library rich with the information of the region. And an entire series on Bhimbetka cave paintings. One instantly starts to wonder, what are pre-historic cave paintings doing in a museum on Kumaun? For an answer to this question, one has to know a little bit more about the Man! Dr. Yashodhar Mathpal was born on 6th June 1939, in Naula village of Almora in Uttarakhand. His father was a freedom fighter and a devout Gandhian. These values had a definite influence on the young Yashodhar. He spent his childhood like any other simple boy from the hills, working in fields, tending cattle, and yet finding time to paint. In his book, “Rock Art of India,” he writes, “…I started my career as an artist by painting ritual wall art with my uncle who was a priest.” It was this desire to paint that gave him the true purpose of his life and took him to places. He joined the Government Arts and Crafts College, Lucknow, and acquired a five year diploma course in Fine Arts. He got a Master’s degree in Drawing and painting from the Agra University.

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The curious mind of young Yashodhar was not satisfied with the Masters at Agra University. He got the degree but his question, “Why did man paint?” remained unanswered. The question took him on another quest, a journey of discovery that would take him to study Rock Art. He started learning about pre-historic rock art.

His search for the origin of art took him further to Pune, where he did his Ph.D. in Prehistoric Art and Archaeology from Deccan College University of Pune in 1979. The director of Deccan College, Prof. Sankalia asked Mathpal to draw his portrait. On the basis of that portrait, Yashodhar was given a grant! This is how he became Dr. Mathpal-a name to be reckoned with in the field of Rock Art because of the way he documented the paintings, categorized them and gave a new language for decoding them.

Being an artist, Mathpal reproduced rock art motifs with ‘hundred percent resemblance’, as does a portrait painter. He spent six winters at Bhimbetka and reproduced all the 6214 motifs found in 133 caves. These reproductions were prepared on the spot, on hand made paper sheets with fine quality water colours and tones with natural background for which he has been lauded by his peers!

Dr Mathpal worked on the Rock art of Mirzapur, Edakal, and Kumaun. He was also a part of establishing Museum of man at its initial stages.

Photograph of Lakhu Udyar cave

Painting by Mathpal of the same shot!

Plate 3: An interesting comparison can be made of two methods of documenting rock art.

Interestingly he worked on System Program, a computer based research to assign the meanings of Rock Art motifs. From rock art to chip art, a trajectory that Neanderthal man took thousands of years to travel, Mathpal has covered in his 70 odd years!

All through this, his childhood love kept calling him and finally he moved back to Bhimtal, and started his own museum “Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya” (Folk Cultural Museum). His earlier childhood affair with temples and ritual paintings drove him to record heritage of Kumaun, be it in the form of wood carvings, rock art, folk art, or painstakingly drawing images of Gods and Goddesses held in captivity by the ASI, since they cannot be photographed. The museum also has a good collection of folk paintings, locally known as Aipana, Chauki, Thapa, Patta, barboondand, Muwali, and ritual clay idols, the Dikars.

Plate 4: Drawings by Mathpal of the Surya

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Plate 5: Painting by Mathpal of kumauni women drawing Aipan

Like Tagore he is a universal man, a world savvy traveller. He has worked with the Italians on a project “Deer in Rock Art of India and Europe;” with the French in assigning the age of Indian Rock Art; he has travelled to Portugal to record the art of the Douro Valley and the ice age images in Cognac cave in France. Yet, he is most at home in his mountains. A global man with deep rooted local sensibilities, the Himalayas and Kumaun are his lodestars, as is evident from his Deva Bhoomi series. He has painted the mountains as if they have a soul!

His literary output (and I am not talking of his academic books), his love for his surroundings, his desire to pass on his knowledge to any seeker, makes him one of the most self-effacing man I have come across. He has helped many scholars and yet many don’t know about him. The Government of India honoured him with ‘Padma Shri’ in 2006 but he has not got the kind of recognition he truly deserves. The state government has not given him any financial support in running of the museum. Even the tourists thronging Nainital do not visit the museum, as there is no publicity.

When coming out of the museum the curator told me that his wife had recently passed away and he had taken a maun-vrata. He pointed towards a distant figure sitting on an easy chair and painting something.

That was Dr. Mathpal. I just greeted him, thinking that it was going to be a long distance acknowledgement only. But, No!! In the Bhoomi of Devas, my lucky stars were all aligned - perfectly! He came down, met all of us and showed us around.

Plate 5: Mathpal ji

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At 74 years of age he is frail and the death of his wife has shaken him. The apathy of the government has not daunted him. He is carrying on with his mission of documenting Kumauni heritage, tradition and culture by painting and writing about it. He does not want to rest because he has yet miles to go!

He reminded me of Krishna’s Karma Yogi, the yogi who believes in doing his deed without being burdened by the fear of failure or desire of rewards, perhaps while treading his lonely path the notes of “Ekala chalo ro” …give him strength?

And isn’t it our karma to support such a painstaking and beautiful endeavour?

ReferencesYashodhar Mathpal- Rock art Of Kumaun Yashodhar Mathpal- Kumaun ki Surya avam Kartikeya Pratimaein Hema Uniyaal - Manaskhand Suresh Mathpal had been of immense help in providing information about Dr. Mathpal

- Aparna Pande Mishra “Mitti ka tan, masti ka man, kshan-bhar jivan — mera parichay” ~ A body of clay, a mind full of play, a moment’s life.

According to the writer, these lines by Harivansh Rai Bachchan describe her best. A teacher by profession, writer by compulsion, and lover of history by passion….the “me” in her wants to spend time in travelling, exploring, and telling stories while discovering India.

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HISTORIC PERSONALITY Mastani Kunwarsa: Controversy in Continuum The very mention of Mastani's name is singularly surprising as it has always been synonymous with Baji Rao and taken in the same breath.

Like most of the legendary love stories, the love story of Baji Rao and Mastani too ended in tragedy. But who was Mastani; his Muslim wife, or a nautch girl that he was enamoured with?

Women and the myriad interpretations of their characters abound in history as in life; feted, hated, admired, worshipped, riled or they simply remain anonymous. But Mastani is the most misunderstood character to have passed through the pages of history, where her story has been voiced through the scorn of the Marathas and the prejudice of their Brahminical fiefdom.

Plate 1: Portrait of the beautiful Mastani. Legends say that her skin was so fair that it was almost translucent and one could see red juice travelling down her neck whenever she ate a paan!

(Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

Mastani Kunwarsa was a kshatrani and a princess, daughter of Maharaj Chhattrasal of Bundelkhand from his Indo-Persian wife Ruhani Bai. Accomplished in chausath kala (64 arts) she was adept at singing, dancing, cooking, sherbet making, and embroidery, along with politics, spy networking, strategies, horse riding, sword fighting, archery and writing poetry. At a very tender age, Mastani was a complete woman and much envied both for her skills and her ethereal beauty. The dossiers are replete with vivid descriptions of the sensuous beauty of Mastani that Baji Rao could not resist.

Bundelkhand was a much prized region for it was the gateway to the seat of power, Delhi. When a Mughal chief from Allahabad, Mohammad Khan Bangash, invaded Bundelkhand during 1727-28, Chhattrasal sent a secret message, seeking help, to Peshwa Baji Rao, who happened to be on a military campaign in the vicinity. Baji Rao came to the rescue of Chhatrasal, defeated Bangash and got his son Jagatraj released from captivity.

Plate 2: Known for his tact and bravery, Peshwa Baji Rao I was a Maratha general and prime minister to the fourth Maratha Chhatrapati (Emperor) Shahuji (Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

Baji Rao seized this opportunity to ink a friendship treaty that would help him establish base in the region and use the Bundela intelligence network against the Mughals. Following the tradition of 'dola' wherein a daughter of the house was given to cement friendly ties, Chattrasal gave Baji Rao his daughter Mastani and the jagirs of Jhansi, Sagar and Kalpi. He also gifted 33 lakh gold coins and a third of share in the riches of the Panna mines to Bajirao. Why would someone give so heavy a dowry for a dancing girl?

Mastani was not welcome in Saswad, the house that was ruled by Baji Rao's mother Radhabai with an iron fist. They were Chitpawan Brahmins, who married only once in life and Kashibai, the first wife of Baji Rao and

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mother to his heir, Nana, was alive. The men were allowed to have upstris or chakri chi stri (concubine) for their pleasure, and so Mastani was immediately relegated to that status. The infuriated family refused to recognise his marriage and his love for his second wife.

Plate 3: Bajirao, exasperated by the barbs faced by Mastani in Saswad, built a palace for his beloved at Kothrud near Pune City in 1734. The palace depicts the grandeur of the Peshwas who after gaining the fabulous riches of Bundelkhand became wealthy jagirdars. The palace does not exist but has been carefully dismantled and reconstructed in the Raja Kelkar Museum in Pune (Pic courtesy: website of the kelkar museum)

Mastani was very fond of horse riding and the couple often went gallivanting into the countryside. On one such ride, they strayed into the village of Pabal about 50 kms from Pune. Mastani was charmed by the Nageswar Mahadev temple and its peaceful environs and immediately decided to hold a Vasant Utsav there. Baji Rao had other plans. To placate his family and the irate brahmin community, he decided to re-marry Mastani during Vasant Utsav in tradition Brahmin style.

Plate 4: In order to commemorate his wedding to Mastani, Baji Rao ordered a baradari to be built at Pabal. Later, living quarters were added to the structure. This was their love nest where Rao and Mastani found peace and moments of solitude (Pic courtesy: mukeshbhavsar.wordpress.com)

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Plate 5: With successive victories in battlefield, Baji Rao recognised the need for shifting his wada to Pune. The foundation stone for the new Palace was laid on a Saturday, and two years later, when it was ready, the opening ceremony was also performed on a Saturday, and of course the fort was called Shaniwar (Saturday) Wada, located in Shaniwarpeth of Pune. Occupying the North east corner of the Palace was Mastani Mahal with a separate gate for entry and exit that later came to be called the Mastani Gate. In 1828, a fire engulfed, raged for seven days, and destroyed the place, leaving behind mostly ruins (Pic courtesy: sanjayshankar.com)

Though Muslim by faith, Ruhani Bai accepted the Pranami faith of the Chattrasal Bundela and his entire household, post her marriage. Propagated by Swami Prannath ji and based on Krishna bhakti, Pranami faith was an amalgamation of both Hinduism and Islam. Pranamis did not partake of meat and alcohol and offered both aarti and namaz. No wonder many thought Mastani was Muslim and responsible for introducing Baji Rao to meat and alcohol. Her soulful rendition of Krishna bhajans and naming of her firstborn as Krishnasingh was conveniently overlooked by the Rao family who cohorted with the Brahmin community to malign Mastani.

Mastani was constantly by the side of Baji Rao whether it was on field in battles or at home. Her growing influence on Baji Rao, though positive, was looked upon with hateful resentment. The very jealous Kashibai was ably supported by the conniving Chimaji Appa, brother of Baji Rao, her son Nana and the stern Radhabai who could not bear the loss of her reigns over her son. After the Peshwai came to be rested firmly with the Bhat family, the Deshasta Brahmins who lost out on it were only looking for reasons to pull down the Chitpawans and Mastani became their scapegoat.

The Brahmin community and the family saw to it that Mastani and Baji Rao's son did not receive the investiture with a thread ceremony, unlike his other two sons from Kashibai. This added fuel to fire and Baji Rao stormed out of Shaniwarwada pledging never to return. Mastani was immediately put under house arrest to ensure the return of Baji Rao. But when Mastani was successful in escaping from shaniwarwada the family decided to make peace and negotiate. Baji Rao had to leave alcohol if he wanted his Mastani to be recognised as his wife.

On an inspection of his newly acquired jagir in Khargon and suffering from the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, Baji Rao breathed his last in Raverkhedi on 28 April 1740, pining for his Mastani. Legends say he died of heatstroke. An able general who was months on campaign in various seasons would suffer from

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heatstroke?? Legends also say that on hearing of his death, Mastani committed suicide. Another version says that Mastani flung herself on the pyre of Baji Rao and committed Sati. Since Sati is a tradition that can be followed by the wife only, this was the last attempt of Mastani at gaining her rightful place in the life of Baji Rao and to be with him after death also.

Too many facts were covered up and many myths were contorted to hide the truth behind Mastani's identity and life. She was not left alone in death too. If one carefully goes through the events that occurred before and after the deaths of Baji Rao and Mastani, one will find it quite suspicious and intriguing. Why was Mastani absent from the family ceremonies in Shaniwarwada when she was very much there? Where is Mastani's body? Did she die before or after Baji Rao? If recent research work is to be believed then Mastani died before Baji Rao. One night under the influence of alcohol, Nana the son of Baji Rao, cast an amorous eye on his step mother, Mastani. She was at that time carrying the second child of Baji Rao. Unable to curb his advances towards her, Mastani drank the poison from her ring and gave up both; her child and her life, to save her honour. Panicked by the act, both Nana and Chimaji Appa destroyed all evidence and disposed off her body in the deep jungles of the Sahyadris. This also explains the sudden undertaking of Krishnasingh, Mastani's son with Baji Rao, by Nana who felt remorse and shame.

Till today, Mastani is seeking to redeem her lost honour.

Plate 6: This is Mastani's Samadhi at Pabal. Research indicates that this may be the tomb of her daughter-in-law Mehrbai who lived there after her. Pabal was part of the estate Baji Rao had presented Mastani and a large Wada had been built for her there. Unfortunately, just like Mastani nothing remains of that Wada today except symbols of myths and legends of a bygone era when love tried to transcend religious barriers but lost out to conspiracy and animosities (Picture Courtesy : mukeshbhavsar.wordpress.com)

References: 1.

2.

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Mastani by Kusum Chopra Interview of Kusum Chopra on www.boloji.com mukeshbhavsar.wordpress.com sanaka.blogspot.com

- Zehra Chhapiwala A thing of beauty is a joy forever! Who, better than a woman and what, better than to read and write about more women! With a passion for words, verses, colors, characters and their connections through ages; and a deep love for nature, am a wayfarer on an eternal journey through time and emotions that are timeless.

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Pankaj Madan I started photography as a hobby, but recently starting working professionally as Architectural & Interior Photographer for Corporate(s) & Retail Brands like Times of India, Sapient, Cafe Delhi Heights, Axtria, The Bristol Hotel, etc. I am also working with Knight Frank as a Sr. Manager - Projects in their Project Management Division.

Nahargarh, Rajasthan Nahargarh Fort was built in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, founder of Jaipur, on the Aravalli hills, as a place for retreat. Nahargarh Fort is connected to the Jaigarh Fort through its fortifications. It is believed that the construction of this fort was obstructed by the spirit of a Rathore prince, Nahar Singh Bhomia.

However, the spirit was pacified when a temple dedicated to him was built inside the fort. Sawai Ram Singh renovated this fort in 1868.

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Pankaj Mishra I am a full time IT professional and have been photographing monuments for 2 years now. The mystery around history has always attracted me. Every time I visit these monuments, it leaves me spell bound with their uniqueness and simplicity.

Iron Pillar, Delhi The Iron Pillar is a 7 m, six tonnes column within the Qutb complex in Delhi, India. It is claimed to be erected

by Kumara Gupta of Gupta dynasty, dating back to 4th century A.D. The pillar bears an inscription, which states that it was erected as a flagstaff in honour of the Hindu god, Vishnu, and in the memory of the Gupta King Chandragupta II (375-413 AD). The pillar is made of 98 % wrought iron, and has stood 1,600 years without rusting or decomposing.

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Rajender Sharma

By Profession an Optometrist, I am working as a consultant Optometrist for last 9 Yrs. Photography is my Passion, and I love capturing monuments and landscapes through my camera, and in future I aim to become a professional photographer.

Bara Imambara, Lucknow Bara Imambara, also known as Asafi Imambara, was built in 1784 by Asaf-ud-daulah, the then Nawab of Lucknow. It was constructed to provide employment to people at the time of a severe drought. The entire complex includes a mosque, a bhool bhulaiya and a baoli, along with two imposing gates.

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Rajneesh Panwar A self-taught photographer from Delhi, who finds inspiration in experimenting, and his efforts have been recognized at a national level through various photography awards, such as, Tamron Challenge, and publications such as ‘Better Photography’ magazine.

Quwwat Ul Islam Mosque, Delhi Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was built by Qutubuddin Aibak (founder of the Slave dynasty) in 1193. It is considered to be the first mosque in Delhi, post Islamic conquest, and was built from the ruins of twentyseven Jain and Hindu temples of the Tomar and Chauhan eras. This evidently a ‘Hindu’ pillar, is a part of this mosque, and bears silent testimony to the temples that were once destroyed to construct it.

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Vipin Gaur An avid traveller, I love jungles, mountains, lakes, rivers, flowers, animals (in their natural habitat). In one word, I am a 'junglee,' and my name reiterates this. Wandering around in the hills energises and refreshes me, while giving me an opportunity to rediscover myself.

Mertani ji’s Baoli, Rajasthan This grand step well, built by Mertani Ji, the queen of the Hindu ruler Shardul Singh Shekhawat of Jhunjhunu, in the year 1783, is one of the best & least polluted in this region. It is around 100 feet deep, with 3 grand sections & has an artistic pillared well in front.

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SPECIAL MENTION PHOTO

The Boddhisatva Avalokiteśvara , XVIII century , at the French Museum “Musée Guimet” at Paris , France.

This statue is in wood and laque polychromic, with 8 arms, called in Vietnamese as Bo Tat Quan Thé Am. It is widely worshipped in the North Vietnam as “The observer Lord,” and in Tibet, the Dalai Lama is considered as a reincarnation of this Boddhisatva (as per Mahayana Buddhism).

The “Musée Guimet” museum was founded in 1879, by Emile Etienne Guimet, an industrialist. In 1876, Guimet was commissioned to explore the Oriental religions, and the museum contains results of his researches from his expedition, which includes many Japanese and Chinese and Japanese artefacts.

By Philippe Launay Debnath

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BEST DISCUSSION ON DHPC Initiated by Nikhil Soni, this post led to an interesting discussion on the confluence of three major religions at the ancient site of the Temple of Fire in Azerbaijan (made popular in the Bond movie “The World is not Enough”)

Nikhil Soni -> Delhi Heritage Photography Club (9 June 2015) Came across this picture while reading about Temple of Fire Ateshgah of Baku at Azerbaijan... this inscription seems to be Gurumukhi.. can anybody read it?

Anuradha Goyal: Definitely Gurmukhi Ramandeep Singh: Kaha ki pic h sir Monidipa Dey: Vikramjit Singh Rooprai Manvinder Kaur: yes Gurmukhi indeed!

Ramandeep Singh: Ek onkar satnam kartapurakh Nirmoh nirvair akaal murat Ajuni sabham Guru parsad jap aad sach jugaad sach Hai bhi sach nanak hose bhi sach Soche soch na ho wai Jo sochi lakh waar Chhupe chhup na howai Nikhil Soni: Meaning?

Ramandeep Singh: One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru’s Grace ~ True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True.

Nikhil Soni: Ramandeep Singh ji thanks alot.. This is interesting 3 religion in same building at same time....

Manvinder Kaur: @3 religions? Please elaborate Ramandeep Singh: wowww....where it is..?

Ramandeep Singh: last 3 lines not readablee...

Nikhil Soni: This temple has evidence that Hinduism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism together used it as place of worship in 17-18th century... It is in Islamic country Azerbaijan... accidentally came across article on this monument Monika Bradoo: Japuji sahib Ramandeep Singh: wowww....seriously dnt knw how to express my love...its so beautiful...

Nikhil Soni: Minimalist Design yet Impressive

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Ramandeep Singh: thanku so much sir for sharinggg Nikhil Soni: You are welcome sir Vikramjit Singh Rooprai: Wow Vikramjit Singh Rooprai: Guru Nanak had visited this area. We have proofs of that. But this was not built during Guru Nanak's time as the verse written on this slab is from the first page of Guru Granth Sahib.

These verses were not compiled in this form until 5th guru. Till that time, they were available, but not established as 'Mool Mantra' of Sikhism. Also, Around 10th guru, the Mool Mantra (uptil word 'Jap') was used. This slab has 2 lines after the Mool Mantra. Which means, this slab is probably placed before 17th century. Last 3 lines contain the information of person who built it. Most of the portion is broken, but I can make out few words...

Satgur.....raja....ka chela...satguru...ke....Shah...Jis...Kaare...la...param keej... gur ... banaye Nikhil Soni: Wikipedia says earliest mention of this temple is by Armenian historian Ghevond in 8th century Aditya Kiran Nag: Nikhil Soni amazing find hats off to you Raees Ahmed: Excellent Manisha Chitale: These words of the prayer are now part of 'Rang De Basanti' Song.

Sweta Saraf: Really amazing! 3 religions in far off country Manmeet Chadha: Manita Kaur read comments also Naina Naik: Very interesting indeed Zoya Kaur Rihal: We are planing a visit to Azerbaijan soon. We are staying very close to it. I will try to post more pictures after our visit there. It might me by end of July.

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HISTORIC TRIVIA Hamzanama: Harbinger of the Golden Age of Mughal Manuscripts 'Art divorced from history loses an essential facet of its interest' said the renowned art critic and scholar Karl Khandalavala, and it holds more truth in this case than any other.

Hamzanama has firsts on many fronts viz. It was the first undertaking of the imperial Mughal atelier, the largest production ever with the monumental manuscript containing 1400 folios, first to be illustrated on paper mounted on cloth and that too in unusual size (Folio 29 x 23ž in. (73.7 x 60.3cm.); miniature 25½ x 23½in. (64.2 x 59.7cm.), and it was the first and is still one of the finest examples of what can be called as the Akbar school of miniature painting.

Plate 1: Umar, Hamza's friend, comes to look for the body of Mihr-Nigar, who lies in a coffin within a tented enclosure, various attendants look on, two lines of text above written in black nasta'liq, rubbed (Pic courtesy: website of Christies)

Akbar was a visionary and he knew no small measures. Everything he planned or conceived was always high on the scale of grandeur and magnificence, but there was always a notable event that triggered his genius and imagination. In the year 1564 Akbar went to Narwar in Malwa on an expedition of hunting wild elephants. After successful completion of this dangerous task, on the following day the court story- teller narrated to Akbar stories of fantastic exploits of Hamza, a legendary hero of Persia and the Islamic world.

The Hamza Nama or Dastan - e - Amir Hamza tells the story of Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, and is a fanciful blend of history and local legend. It is a popular collection of action filled stories, which originated in the Persian tradition of oral literature. The more Akbar heard of Hamza's bravery and romantic allusions, the more he started mortally identifying with the character leading him to make the momentous decision of commissioning the said manuscript. Until then there was no imperial atelier as Akbar, busy with consolidating and expanding his vast empire, but he had with him two master artists, Mir Sayyid Ali of Shiraz and Abd al Samad of Tabriz from the brilliant safavid school of miniature painting patronised by Shah Tahmasp of Iran. With the grandiose plan of creating the most unique manuscript, Akbar enlisted services of skilled Indian artists from Malwa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Deccan. An atelier of 30 artists was initially formed, which at the end of the completion of Hamzanama consisted of 100 artists.

Commenced in the year 1567, as indicated by Badaoni in his Mumtakhab ut Tawarikh and Ala al Daula in his Nafais al Maasir, the Hamzama was completed in the year 1582, taking 15 years of illustrating and painting. Initially begun in safavid style, the illustrations later metamorphosed into a new Mughal style, under the personal supervision and the discerning eye of Akbar. Abul Fazal in his Akbarnama noted it as the change from "that which is form to that which is spirit," indicating that it was Akbar who transformed the safavid style into a new style of mixed Persian and indigenous influences that characterises Hamzanama. The completion and presentation of this grand manuscript was an event it itself.

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Plate 2: Hamza disarming a Byzantine princess (Pic courtesy: Melbourne Museum)

Thus, began a golden period of production of illustrated manuscripts undertaken by the Mughal imperial atelier, patronised by Akbar. He established a Maktab-khana (translation bureau) at Fatehpur Sikri, expressly for the purpose of translation and rendering of Chengiz, and Sanskrit texts and epics like Timurnama, Baburnama, Razmnama (Mahabharata), Iyar-i-Danish, Jog Bashisht (Yoga Vasistha, to name just a few of the long line of illustrated manuscripts produced over forty years of Akbar’s fifty-four year reign.

Sadly, out of the 1400 folios of Hamzanama of which one side was illustrated while the other side had text in Nastaliq script, only 200 are extant. The folios are ordered, and the text on the back of one folio accompanies the painting on the subsequent folio. Bulks of these folios are to be found in the Austrian Museum of Applied Art (MAK), Vienna, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the British Museum, London. The colophon of this manuscript is still missing. None of the folios of this manuscript so far found is signed. It is believed that Hamzanama was the pride of imperial library until Nadir Shah's infamous sack of Delhi wherein he destroyed many of the manuscripts.

Lying scattered in museums the world over and mostly lost to us and time, Hamzanama is a wake-up call to preserve and cherish the remnants of our glorious past not just in built form but also otherwise.

Plate 3: Umar, Disguised as Mazmahil the Surgeon, Practices Quackery on the Sorcerers of Antali, ca. 1570. This painting of the "Qissa" (Accession no. 24.49) is identified as Book 11, 84 r. by Sheila Canby and is one of a series of three which depict the entry of Amr and his companions into the fort of Zumurud Shah and his sorcerers disguised as a physician and his attendant (Pic courtesy: website of Brooklyn Museum).

- Zehra Chhapiwala

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HERITAGE NEWS The story of how horse was domesticated (Horses from the Hillaire Chamber, Chauvet Cave. Photo courtesy of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, Regional Direction for Cultural Affairs, Rhône-Alpes region, Regional Department of Archeology) “Some 50 million years ago, in the forests of North America, a timid herbivore less than two feet tall browsed for leaves and fruit. This tiny creature is now called eohippus, or “dawn horse,” and by 1.5 million years ago, its ancestors had evolved into what we today recognize as the horse. About 900,000 years ago, horses spread from the grasslands of North America to the Old World, where they would eventually have their first encounters with people. And so began the incomparable relationship between horses and humans, evidence of which is found in the archaeological record throughout the world.” For more news on this, click on the following link: http://archaeology.org/issues/180-features/3345-the-horse-through-history

From our Indus valley civilization (Photograph from the internet) “Why was this shell bangle workshop suddenly abandoned in Gola Dhoro, Gujarat? Great wealth was left behind. Archaeologist Kuldeep Bhan writes: "One of the most important craft activities pursued with great vigour at the site was the production of shell bangles from Turbinella pyrum. One of the fascinating discoveries associated with this craft was the recovery of a rectangular mud brick structure measuring approximately 5.60 x 3.20m with an adjoining chamber, situated on the north-western periphery inside the fortification. Within this structure three large heaps of shell resting against the western wall, containing thousands of mostly unused shell of T. pyrum were uncovered.” For more on this click on http://www.harappa.com/goladhoro/index.html

Discovering dog mummies “Researchers led by Paul Nicholson of Cardiff University conducted a new survey of the dog catacomb near the temple of Anubis, the jackal-headed god of death, at Saqqara. The catacomb is thought to have been dug in the fourth century B.C…” http://archaeology.org/news/3416-150618-saqqara-dog-mummies

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BOOK REVIEW Jaya – an illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata Author: by Devdutt Pattanaik Publisher: Penguin Books. First published in 2010.

About the book: A contemporary styled narration giving overview of the ancient epic Mahabharata.

Stylish in its treatment, this is ideal to make the Y generation interested in our mythologies and heritage.

Devdutt Pattanaik entered the arena of literature in 1997, but it was only in 2010 did he become a force to be reckoned with.

“Jaya”, his version of ‘retelling’ the Mahabharata, became an overnight success and catapulted him into the big league. He is now a well-established “mythologist,” who uses mythology as a tool for management insights and leadership development.

Devdutt uses the original name “Jaya” in this retelling of Mahabharata. He has done an astonishing job of creating a kind of timeline and genus lineage within Mahabharata, which is somewhat hazy in the original. Devdutt has also collected different folklores / variations of this epic across different regions, and has given us a taste of our diverse heritage. The eighteen day Draupadi Aman festival of Dindikul, Tamil Nadu, worshipping of Duryodhana as a benevolent diety in Har-kiDoon valley in Uttarakhand, and the story of Barbareek (Bhima or Ghatotkacha’s son), the talking head (which is popular in Kerala & Andhra Pradesh, but not in rest of the country) are a few remarkable examples of how the epic has taken its own shape in different regions of India. Devdutt has also given references to the Indonesian version of the mythology, where Bhanumati, wife of Duryodhan was the daughter of Shalya, and in love with Arjuna!

Written in lucid English, with nice sketches (more than 250 of them), the book is a page turner. Devdutt has refrained from giving lengthy explanations of events or contemporary interpretations of the epic; his focus was clearly on narrating the story in a concise manner and tying up e various versions and contradictions that have occurred from time to time at the end of each chapter. The way he analyses the differences between Sakuntala as described in Mahabharata and Sakuntala in Abhigyansakuntalam in barely a paragraph shows his astonishing clarity of thought and ability to whet the reader’s appetite, and inspire him/her to read further. He has even used organisation charts format to explain the complex family lineage of Mahabharata – making it quite contemporary and easy to understand.

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Example taken from page 304 of Jaya:

This book has often been criticized as being “shallow”. Many have also found the bullet point summaries and charts to be uncomfortable and somehow “irreverent”. The reviewer personally did not think so. It seemed that the author wanted to provide an overview and make people interested in the epic, instead of providing a deep analysis. In that, he has been more than successful.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed by the authors are entirely their own and do not necessarily express the views of Youth for Heritage Foundation (YFHF) and/or the editors of this magazine (Heritage Archives).

YfHF, Members of YfHF as well as the editorial team of Heritage Archives are not responsible for the accuracy of facts mentioned by the authors and/or any intellectual property rights (IPR) issues related to articles submitted by the authors. Any disputes related to the above will be passed on to the respective authors and the contesting party has to thereafter deal directly with the author.

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